


Working Blues

by onihunter305



Series: Malec/Madzie [8]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Emotional, Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Alec, M/M, Malec, Parental Magnus, Scared Magnus, parental alec, uncle jace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 00:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11002599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onihunter305/pseuds/onihunter305
Summary: Madzie knew her Daddy had an important job, she just didn’t know what it was.Alec and Magnus wanted to hide Madzie from the fact that part of Alec’s job was to hunt down and kill demons. They didn’t want her to know that he had to take down downworlders for a higher order that he barely believed in.That plan was going well, until Jace carried a half dead Alec into the loft one night after a patrol gone wrong.





	Working Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another installation to this series. I'm really enjoying exploring these characters and building these relationships. I'll keep writing as long as they keep coming to me.
> 
> Also, if you've read the other works in this series, there is some mention to Matt (a character from two of my other stories). It is not pivotal to have read those to understand this one, but I always encourage it!

Magnus was enjoying a rare quiet night at home, snuggled up on the couch with his little Guppy, watching Frozen. 

It wasn’t a rare night because he was watching Frozen, because that movie graced their TV screen at least three times a week, with or without Magnus’ explicit permission. 

It wasn’t rare because it was quiet, because after 9pm in the Bane-Lightwood household was quiet time. It had been decided, shortly after Madzie started staying with them, that 9pm was when they all needed to settle down and relax, prepare themselves for bed, and reflect on the day. It was a time they all enjoyed just spending time with each other. 

So why was it a rare night? Well, that would be because the Shadowhunter of the household was sadly missing. 

Ever since Madzie had taken up residence with them, Alec had made a concerted effort to be home for dinner every night. There were times he arrived after dinner, mostly because of meetings running over or mission debriefings that could not wait until morning, but those nights were few and far between. Even on those rare nights, he made it home before 9 because that was their time to sit together and watch a movie. Tonight was the first time he wouldn’t be there to put Madzie to bed.

Madzie hadn’t been happy when she found out that her daddy wouldn’t he home to help tuck her in. She didn’t understand what would keep him away so late at night. Her Papa had tried to explain that her daddy had an important job and that sometimes he had to work very late. Madzie tried to understand that, and be a good girl about it, but she just missed him too much.

Nevertheless, the two warlocks of the Bane-Lightwood residence continued on, watching their movie in silence, both missing the third piece to their puzzle.

~*~

Alec had been so defeated leaving the loft that night. He hadn’t had a choice, but the look of betrayal and sadness that Madzie gave him as he walked out the door broke his heart. He had done everything he possibly could to change his schedule up, but in the end it had been unavoidable. Izzy and Clary had been called to Idris for the night, leaving Jace without a partner for patrol. Although Alec had tried to schedule himself off of night patrols, he had been the only available shadowhunter to go with Jace that night.

Jace had tried to tell Alec he would be fine, that he didn’t need any backup for some simple routine patrols, but Alec had insisted. There was no way he was going to let his Parabatai patrol all alone, especially in the world of unrest that they currently lived in. 

So that was how Alec found himself stalking the rooftops in a shady part of Brooklyn, trying to find the nest of ravener demons that had been reported nearby. He dropped silently into the alleyway, following a slinking shadow. He could feel Jace’s presence close by but held off calling to him until he had something concrete to report. 

In a way, Alec had missed this experience. Ever since giving up night patrols, he missed hiding in the shadows, protecting the mundanes, with his parabatai close enough to sense his every movement. Although he wouldn’t trade the life he had with Madzie and Magnus for anything, he was going to allow himself to enjoy tonight’s hunt.

A hissing sound to his right distracted him momentarily from the creature he was following, as he turned back towards his intended victim he was knocked down by a demon jumping from his left side.

Quickly pulling his seraph blade, he dispensed of the ambushing ravener demon while calling out to Jace for backup. He was surprised how organized these demons were; although they often traveled in hoards, they weren’t known for their pack hunting and organizational skills. 

He heard, rather than saw, Jace join the battle as he continue to defend himself. As soon as he cut one down, it seemed as though one or two took it’s place. His runes powered his body on as he fought to gain the upper-hand against the hoard he was fighting against. 

Just as he spun to eliminate a demon that was about to bite into Jace’s exposed shoulder, he felt a sharp sting of pain ignite from his left calf. Turning his head, he was met with the sight of a row of sharp fanged teeth digging into his leg. He could feel a burning heat travel through his injury, alerting him to the presence of poison rushing through his system.

He didn’t have that view for long, Jace’s seraph blade slashing down and cutting the offending head off of it’s body. Once it no longer was attached, it’s slack jaws released Alec’s leg as it’s body disappeared in flames. 

Alec dropped to his knees, the pain overwhelming his senses for a moment. He activatated his iratze rune but it didn’t do much to help. With the poison coursing through his blood stream he knew it wouldn’t. He knew he needed help from healers from the Institute, or even better Magnus’ magic.

Jace pushed through to finish off the rest of the demons before rushing back to Alec’s side. 

“Alec! What the hell happened?” He asked, concern lacing his voice as he inspected the bite mark on his brother’s leg. He paled slightly at the dark discoloration that could be seen around the bite. 

“Ravener demon, tried to bite you. So I killed him, got distracted I guess,” Alec said, his breath catching as he spoke due to the debilitating pain shooting up and down his leg.

“We have to get you to Magnus, I can call him, he can portal to us,” Jace said, already taking out his phone to call Magnus.

“No, he’s home with Madzie. He can’t leave her alone. We’re close, let’s walk,” Alec said, adamantly refusing to let Magnus leave Madzie alone for even one second when he knew they were close by. He was sure he would be able to make it that far, he had traveled much farther with worse injuries before their close connection with Magnus. 

“I don’t think you can walk that far buddy,” Jace said, trying to reason with his delusional brother. He knew, with their past experiences with ravener poison, that it had to be handled quickly and efficiently. He also knew, however, how stubborn his brother was and how adamantly he would refuse help if Jace tried to call Magnus away from his loft for even a moment. 

“Then you better be ready to carry me,” Alec replied, his tone final.

Jace sighed at his parabatai’s stubbornness but nodded. He helped Alec upright and then supported most of his bodyweight as they stumbled through the streets of Brooklyn towards the loft of Magnus Bane. 

“Promise me,” Alec started, causing Jace to turn his head towards him as he all but dragged him through the streets. He was concerned when he saw the lines of pain around Alec’s eyes and the sheen of sweat that covered his face. 

“What? Promise you what?” Jace prompted. 

“Don’t…don’t let Mads see me…like this,” Alec stuttered out. 

“How about you focus on you for the moment, let me worry about everyone and everything else,” Jace said, not liking how Alec was talking. He renewed his effort to get Alec back to the loft where Magnus would be able to provide Alec with the healing he needed.

“Okay,” Alec agreed, the pain clouding his ming mores than usual. 

Jace tightened his grip and pushed forward, noticing they were only a few short blocks away. He prayed to whatever angel was listening that they would get there while Alec was still conscious.

~*~

Magnus was dozing off, Madzie’s warm weight nestled into his side, when his front door burst open. He knew his wards were keyed into very specific people so he wasn’t worried that they were under attack, but he also knew Alec would never enter their loft like that after Madzie was supposed to be sleeping. He felt tendrils of fear work their way through his body.

“Magnus! We need your help,” Jace called out, confirming Magnus’ fears before he even turned his head to look. 

Unfortunately for all parties involved, Jace’s scream woke Madzie who rubbed her tired eyes and began to look around for her dads. 

Magnus momentarily ignored her, unable to focus on anything but getting to wherever Jace was, knowing something was wrong. He rose quickly and moved towards his entryway, fearing the worst but hoping for the best. 

He was met with the sight of Jace cradling Alec’s unconscious body in his arms.

“Alec!” He exclaimed, rushing over and snapping his magic to attention.

“He was bit, by a ravener demon, left leg,” Jace panted, exhausted from carrying Alec the last block and up the stairs. 

“Get him on the…” and Magnus paused remembering that Madzie was currently occupying the couch. He knew Alec wouldn’t want her to see him like this, they had both worked so hard to keep the details of their job a secret from her. “To the bedroom, put him in our bedroom and I will be in as soon as I… I need to… Madzie,” Magnus’ mind was so unfocused as he tried to figure out how to get Madzie to bed and attend to Alec’s wound all at once.

“Take him, I will take care of her,” Jace said, understanding Magnus’ dilemma. Magnus held out his arms and nodded, gently taking Alec’s limp body from Jace’s arms and cradling him close to his chest. He could feel his weak and shallow breaths so he quickened his pace to the bedroom, opting for using the second entrance that Madzie wouldn’t be able to see from the den area.

He quickly place him on the bed and began to focus on extracting the poison from Alec’s wound and bloodstream. He snapped a potion to his outreached hand and poured it down Alec’s throat, massaging it gently to get the younger boy to swallow reflexively. He continued to work, his magic surrounding Alec as he poured all of his efforts into extracting the ravener venom and healing the wound.

~*~

Back out in the den, Jace took a few steadying breathes before approaching where Madzie sat, confused on the couch.

“Uncle Jace? Why are you here?” She asked, blinking at him with confusion on her face. Last she remembered she was sleeping on the couch with her papa, then all of a sudden he was running out of the room and now her Uncle Jace was there.

“Um…well I was working with your daddy…” Jace began, he would have continued but he had stepped into the light, causing Madzie to gasp at the amount of blood that was soaked into his clothes and covering his skin. Jace cursed himself for not washing up or something before approaching the young warlock.

“Are you hurt?” She asked, becoming teary at the thought of her Uncle Jace being hurt and having to come to her papa for healing.

“No sweetie, I’m not hurt…” Jace said, looking towards the bedroom where Magnus was undoubtably working tirelessly on healing Alec.

“Whose blood is that?” She asked, her voice becoming softer as she observed the way her uncle looked at her dads’ bedroom. She knew her papa had run off, leaving her behind, he would only have done that if… “Where is my daddy?” She asked, all of a sudden franticly trying to get up to go see what was going on.

Jace’s eyes widened as Madzie came to the right conclusion. He didn’t expect her to figure it out so soon as was unprepared with and answer for her. “Um…” he began, moving to intercept her path, refusing her access to her dads’ bedroom.

Again, Madzie cut him off, “Is he hurt? I need to see him. I can help. Where is he?” She asked, rapid fire, trying to look around him. 

“Whoah, calm down Mads,” Jace said, placing his clean hand on her shoulder. “Your daddy is going to be fine, your papa will make sure of it. Okay? So how about we go and get cleaned up for bed,” he said trying to reason with her while reassuring her of something he himself was unsure about. 

“You promise?” She asked, her voice breaking as she did so.

“Your papa is the best warlock in all of Brooklyn, probably New York too, and maybe even the United States. I’m sure he will do everything he can to help you daddy,” Jace reassured. 

He watched for a moment, with baited breath, as Madzie contemplated his offer. He let out a visible sigh when she nodded and took his free hand so that they could walk down the hallway towards her bedroom, away from Alec and Magnus’ room. He didn’t miss, however, how she spared one longing look at their closed door as they walked.

He led her to her room and instructed her to brush her teeth and get changed for bed. While she was in her private bathroom, washing her face and doing her bedtime routine, Jace slipped out and into the room he once occupied to find some clean clothes. He quickly cleaned himself off as best as he could without a shower, and changed out of his bloody clothes. He walked back into Madzie’s room to find her sitting on her bed, cleaned and changed, looking upset.

“Hey there, what’s with the sad face?” He asked, having an idea of the answer but having nothing else to say in that moment.

“Is my daddy going to go be with Lilith?” Madzie asked, her voice soft and sad. Jace’s heart clenched at her words, understanding immediately that Madzie was asking if Alec was going to die. He quickly made his way over to her bed and sat down, pulling her into his lap and into his arms.

“Why would you say something like that?” He asked her, not answering.

“When one of the ladies who carried the babies got sick, sometimes Nana would say they went to be with Lilith and I would never see them again. I don’t want that to happen to my daddy,” Madzie said, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked up to Jace with the barest amount go hope in her eyes.

Jace’s heart broke as she told her tale, and he felt anger for the warlock Iris who had done this to her, who had tainted her childhood with so much pain and death. He bit his tongue as he thought of how to answer her honestly, “No Madzie, Alec…your daddy, he isn’t going to be with Lilith. Your papa would never allow that. He is hurt, but he will get better,” he said, praying to the angel that he wasn’t lying.

“Why is he hurt? Who hurt daddy?” She asked, her head buried in Jace’s shirt as she spoke.

“That’s…something you have to wait for your dads to answer, okay?” Jace said, knowing that Alec had tried to keep Madzie in the dark about his job as a shadowhunter. He didn’t want her to know the dangerous job that he had or that he had to sometimes fight against downworlders such as warlocks. He was afraid that Madzie would fear him if she knew what he did for their world.

“Can I see him?” Madzie inquired, pulling away from his shirt and looking up at him.

“I promise, as soon as your papa says everything is fixed, you can go see him,” Jace answered. “For now, just close your eyes and relax. As soon as your daddy is ready for visitors, I’ll wake you.”

Madzie nodded against his body and relax, her eyes closing. But even though she was tired, she couldn’t calm her racing heart.

~*~

Magnus allowed the final tendrils of magic to work their way into Alec’s body as he finished extracting the poison from his bloodstream. He was exhausted, sweat dripping from his forehead as he panted. He had poured his magic into healing Alec with abandon, forgoing thinking about the effects it would have on his body.

He dropped to the bed, unsteady on his feet. His hand found Alec’s, gripping it tightly as he watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. He sighed and took a couple of deep breaths before snapping bandages to his side. He had used a large part of his magic extracting the vile venom from the wound and didn’t quite have enough to close it up.

With tender loving care he wrapped Alec’s leg after cleaning it of all the blood. The bite was red and jagged, and would require an iratze and a lot of rest to fully heal, but Alec was going to be fine. 

Sitting next to him on the bed, Magnus felt a moment of pure panic as he realized that he could have lost Alec tonight. He knew, with the jobs they had, that there was always a chance that one of them would not return home at the end of the night. But the reality, in his face, as he felt his magic depleted, made his breath catch in his throat. He leaned down and curled up against Alec’s side, needing to feel close to him.

~*~

Jace could feel that Madzie wasn’t sleeping, but she also wasn’t panicking anymore. Her eyes were half-closed as she rested against him. 

“I know you aren’t sleeping,” Jace said, looking down at her. She looked up slightly, not ashamed at the fact that he caught her.

“I wanna see daddy be’ore I sleep,” she said, slurring her words in her drowsy state. 

“Okay, can I leave you here and I’ll check on him? If he’s ready, you can go see him,” Jace reasoned, worried about his parabatai. Even though he could tell he was no longer in pain due to their bond, he wouldn’t feel completely at ease until he saw him safe and sound with his own eyes. 

“‘Kay,” she mumbled, pulling back and sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. She pulled her teddy bear to her chest that her Aunt Izzy had gotten her, and looked at him with side expecting eyes. 

“I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Jace said, standing and stretching his legs out as he left the room. 

He walked briskly to Magnus and Alec’s room and gently pushed the door open slightly. He peeked inside and saw Magnus curled up against Alec’s sleeping form. The steady movements of both men’s chest calmed his racing heart. 

“Magnus,” Jace called out, hating to wake the other man but knowing Madzie wouldn’t rest until her wish was fulfilled. He watched as an exhausted Magnus pulled himself out of dreamland and struggled to sit up. Jace was shocked as how exhausted the older warlock looked, his eyes half-lidded and unfocused as he tried to get his bearings.

“Jace, is Madzie alright?” He asked, his voice deep with sleep.

“She…um, she figured out that Alec was hurt. And she won’t sleep until she sees him. She needs to see that he’s okay,” Jace said apologetically. 

“Alec wouldn’t want her to see him like this,” Magnus said, looking over at his lover. His face was paler than usual and there was still faint traces of blood on his face and arms. 

“I know,” Jace agreed, “but she needs to.”

“Okay, give me a moment to clean him up and change him, then she can come in,” Magnus said, knowing Jace was right. Madzie loved Alec, and had a special bond with him ever since she had met him at Iris’ house, she wouldn’t rest without knowing he was alive and well. 

“Okay,” Jace said, and moved to leave the room. He paused right before he got to the door and looked over his shoulder at Magnus tenderly attending to Alec. “He’s alright, right?”

“He will be, perhaps you could activate his iratze before you go. I’m afraid I’m just about out of magic,” Magnus said, gently brushing Alec’s hair out of his eyes. Jace nodded and pulled his stele out, quickly activating the rune on his parabatai’s body. 

Immediately the effects of the rune was seen in Alec’s body. His color got better and his breathing eased even further. 

Jace left the room, to get Madzie and to give Magnus a moment or privacy to make Alec look decent for his daughter. 

As the door clicked shut Magnus got to work, taking off Alec’s bloody clothes and summoning a warm wet rag to clean the blood off of his face and hands. Just as he was wiping the last of the dark substance off his face Alec’s eyes fluttered open. They were disoriented as first, then he caught eyes with Magnus’s yellow cat eyes.

“You gave me quite a scare Alexander,” Magnus whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

“Sorry,” Alec croaked, his voice hoarse. 

“I love you so much you stupid shadowhunter, don’t scare me like that again!” Magnus said, leaning in to pull Alec into his body carefully, mindful of his still healing injuries. 

“I love you too Magnus, know that I would never leave you and Madzie,” Alec whispered into his chest. 

“Daddy?” A voice from the door broke their embrace. Magnus pulled back, allowing Alec to rest back on a bunch of pillows. “Papa, is daddy okay?” Madzie asked, from the comfort of Jace’s arms.

“Hey Sweet Pea,” Alec said, stealing Magnus’ nickname for her to try and ease her fears. “Come over here,” he invited, knowing she needed to see how okay he was and that she wouldn’t be satisfied until she could touch him.

Jace placed her on the ground and she tentatively approached the bed. Alec hated seeing how scared and nervous she was to approach him, to touch him.

“You won’t hurt me, come on over here. I could use one of your hugs,” Alec said, trying to convince her he was fine. Even though every fiber in his body was exhausted, he needed her to know he was okay before he slept. 

When she got close enough to the bed Magnus lifted her up to sit between him and Alec. She balanced on her knees as she looked up and down Alec’s body for his injury.

“My leg is what was hurt baby, but papa fixed me all up. I’m fine now,” Alec reassured her, his voice tired. She nudged herself even closer. 

“Promise you aren’t going to be with Lilith?” She asked, looking down at the leg which was slightly propped. She had tears in her eyes as she looked back up at him.

Ignoring his injury and exhaustion, Alec propelled himself up to wrap his arms around her and pulling her close. “I promise you, I don’t want to ever leave you or papa. I love you both too much,” he said, petting her hair gently as she clung to him.

“I was scared daddy,” she said, tears finally falling.

The sight broke both Magnus and Jace’s hearts. It really put their lives into perspective. Magnus got close to the pair and gently wrapped his arms around the two most important people in his life. 

Eventually they all pulled back and Alec laid back down in bed. He was utterly exhausted as his body worked to repair itself. He looked over at Magnus, and then to Jace who was watching him with worried eyes. 

“Daddy is tired Mads, maybe it’s time for everyone to get some sleep. Jace you are welcome to the guest room, of course,” Magnus said, seeing the weariness in the blond shadowhunter’s eyes. 

“Can I stay here with you?” Madzie asked, looking between her two dads and hoping they would say yes.

“Just for tonight,” Magnus agreed, feeling as though she was going to have nightmares tonight and wanting her close by if she did.

“You good Jace?” Alec asked, looking up at his parabatai with knowing eyes. They had been in a lot of dangerous and tough situations in the past, and it was always difficult for them to part afterwards. There were times, in the past, where they would share a bed after one or both of them were seriously injured. But the times had changed, and Alec had a family now, so being under the same roof was going to have to do.

“I’m good, I’ll see you in the morning brother, glad you’re on the mend,” Jace said, coming close to place a hand on Alec’s shoulder. Alec’s hand came up to clasp his strongly, their eyes meeting and silently communicating. And then, just like that, they broke apart and Jace went off to get some sleep.

Madzie snuggled into the bed, curling up as close to Alec as she dared knowing he was hurt. Magnus went through his bedtime routine as quickly as his tired body would allow him to, removing his make-up the mundane way and changing into comfortable sleep pants. He climbed into bed next to Madzie, trapping her between her two dads. 

“Daddy, who hurt you?” She asked in the darkness.

Alec’s eyes met Magnus’ over her head, silently asking him what they should tell her. Alec could tell Magnus didn’t want to lie to her, but he also didn’t want her to know the whole truth. Alec decided to go with his heart.

“Well baby, a demon hurt me,” Alec said truthfully. 

“Why?” Madzie asked, not knowing much about demons. Just that Nana would sometimes summon them to work for her or help her. She didn’t much like demons, and she liked them even less now that one of them hurt her daddy.

“Well, part of my job is to make sure demons don’t hurt the mundane people. The people like your friend Matt and his mother,” Alec explained.

“You’re a hero!” Madzie exclaimed, her eyes widening in the dark as she saw her daddy in a whole new light.

“Yes he is,” Magnus agreed from the other side of her.

“I just want to make this world a safer, better, place for you,” Alec said, not wanting to accept her statement of his heroism. 

“You protect people, people who can’t protect themselves. That makes you a hero,” Madzie said. “Thank you for being my hero,” she said.

Alec felt his throat tighten with emotions at her words. He had never thought of himself as a hero, he barely believed he was a good shadowhunter most of the time, and yet hearing how his daughter viewed him made his heart swell with love. 

“One day, dear Alexander, I hope you believe her,” Magnus said, leaning over and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. 

“Maybe I will,” Alec agreed, looking over at his lover and his daughter. He leaned down and placed a kiss on Madzie’s forehead and then over her to kiss Magnus chastely on the lips. “I love you two.” He said softly before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.


End file.
